Ink supply system for printing presses



July 30, 1963 v. J. HlLGOE ETAL 3,099,211

INK SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jan. 15, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 if 15 42 4/ (5:9 A y] Z INVENTORS. Var/70 1 i/yae V f'm/M J flay/e July 30, 1963 v. J. HILGOE ETAL INK SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 13, 1961 m W5 my WWW w /m W M Wm VA 1 July 30, 1963 v. J. HILGOE ETAL 3,099,211

INK SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jan. 13, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 y 30, 1963 v. .1. HILGOE ETAL 3,099,211

INK SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jan. 15, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS. l/er/m AO/yae 04/7 J. flay/.

United States Patent 3,099,211 INK SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESES Vernon J. Hiigoe, Lombard, and Frank J. Doyle, Bellwood, ilk, assignors to Miehle-Goss-Dexter, incorporated, Chicago, ilk, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 82,537 8 Claims. (Cl. 101-207) This invention relates generally to rotary presses and concerns, more particularly, systems for supplying ink to the fountains of such presses.

With the developing use of color in newspapers, it has become increasingly important to provide rotary presses of the type commonly used for printing newspapers with some means for supplying colored ink to the appropriate portions of the printing cylinders. Divided or plural ink fountains have been utilized in such presses so that any desired portion of the press can be supplied with ink of the selected color by filling the appropriate section or sections of the fountains with colored ink. However, the problem has been to feed ink of the selected color to the desired sections of the fountains.

It is the primary aim of the present invention to provide a novel system for supplying ink of any desired color to the fountains of a rotary press which can be quickly and conveniently put into operation, changed to another color, or disabled in favor of the normal black ink supply system.

An object of the invention is to provide an ink supplying system of the above type which is quite economical since simple, direct connections are utilized without pumps, complicated valves, or involved manifolding.

A further object is to provide a system as characterized above that is quite easy and clean to manipulate, both as to setting up and operating the system.

It is also an object to provide an ink supply system of the type described above which provides a direct gauge indication of the colored ink available to the fountains of the press.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a rotary press unit embodying an ink supplying system constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation, with portions broken away, of the press unit portion shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged side and front elevations of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is 'a diagrammatic representation of the ink supply system embodied in the press unit shown in FIG. 1

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that we do not intend to limit the invention to that embodiment. Onthe contrary, we intend to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Turning now to the drawings, there is shown the operating side of a single rotary press unit 1d having an auxiliary or colored ink supply system embodying the present invention. The press unit includes a housing 11 which encloses, as is conventional with such units, two complete printing couples (not shown). Each printing couple is supplied with ink from -a plurality of ink fountains and, in the illustrated embodiment, four fountains 12-15 are disposed along one side of the press unit 10 to supply ink to one of the printing couples and four fountains 1 6-19 are disposed along the opposite side of the press unit ltl to supply ink to the other printing couple (see FIG. 5).

3-,@99,2l i Patented July 30, 1963 This invention concerns the supplying of colored ink, as opposed toconventional black ink, to any one of the fountains I' -l9 and, hence, only the auxiliary or colored ink supply system has been illustrated and described.

Iowever, it will be appreciated that the press unit 10 includes a primary ink supply system (not shown) through which black newspaper ink is pipe-d to each of the fountains l2'19 for conventional operation of the unit.

In carrying out the invention, a plurality of ink tanks are mounted in cabinet recesses formed in the press unit it). In the preferred arrangement, two cabinet recesses 25 and 26 are provided, one on either side of the illustrated operating end of the press unit ft with two tanks 27 and 28 mounted in the recess 25 and two tanks 29 and 30 mounted in the recess 26. Each tank is generally cylindrioal in construction and, in a practical embodiment, is of a size to hold four gallons of ink.

The tanks EH-3h, which, of course, can be filled with ink of any desired color, supply ink directly to the fountains 1219 and, for this purpose, flexible conduits 31 couple the lower portions of the tanks to individual ones of the ink fountains. Since there are four tanks and eight fountains, each tank is provided with a dividing fitting 32 so that two of the conduits 31 can be coupled to each of the tanks TY-3t). Thus, each tank supplies ink to two of the ink fountain-s 12-19.

For feeding ink from the tanks to the fountains, the upper portions of the tanks are coupled by lines 33 to a source of gas under pressure which preferably is the compressed air supply system normally available in a press room and as represented by the air line 6d shown in FIG. 5. It will be understood that air pressure supplied to the upper portion of the tanks 273fi drives ink through the conduits 31 to each of the ink fountains 1'Zl91 To control the flow of ink at the individual fountains, each fountain is provided with a float valve 35 to which the associated conduit 31 is attached, Each valve 35 includes a float 36 that is disposed in the ink fountain and arranged so that the valves 35 close only when their respective fountains contain an operating supply of ink. In other words, the ink, under pressure in the tanks 27-3tl, is admitted to the fountains 1219 only when the supply of ink in a respective fountain is reduced so as to lower the associated float 36 and open the valve 35 controlled by that float.

The air pressure exerted on the ink is preferably regulated by a plurality of valves 41, one of which is inter posed between each of the lines 33 and the supply line 34. Pressure indicating dials 42, coupled to the lines 66, facilitate setting the valves 41 to a desired operating position. Each of the tanks Z'7-3tl is provided with an air bleeder valve 43 (see FIG. 1) so that the tanks can be depressurized following operation prior to their being disconnected and removed from the press unit It).

In the preferred construction, the flexible conduits 31 simply lie in troughs, of which only the trough 45 is shown, which run along either side of the press unit. In addition, quick-disconnect couplings are utilized between the conduits 31 and both the fittings 32 and the valve 35. Similarly, quick-disconnect couplings join the lines 33 and the respective tanks 2/73il. As a result of these arrangements, the tanks Z73tl-, or any similar tank contain ink of a desired color or character, can be quickly and conveniently installed in the press unit 10. The tank is simply placed in the appropriate recess and a clean conduit 31 is quickly extended from the tank to the desired one of the fountains. to the upper portion of the tank, whereupon opening of the associated valve 41 causes ink to be propel-led from the tank to the fountain or fountains to which it has been connected.

Just as easily, a line 33 is attached When it is desired to change the color applied to a particular fountain, both t e proper tank and its foun sin connecting conduits 31 are lifted from the press unit and an alternate tank and clean conduits are substituted. The quick-disconnect couplings referred to above make the color change-over a simple, rapid process which is quite clean and which involves little, if any, ink loss.

Pursuant to the invention, the tanks 27 are mount ed respectively on tiltable supports l5d which not only facilitate the handling of the tanks but also indicate the Weight of the tank and its contents so as to measure the supply of ink available to each of the fountains. Since the supports 5l-54 are identical, except for being left and right hand units for mounting on oppositely facing walls, only the support 54 will be described in detail and it will be understood that the supports 5l53 are correspondingly constructed and arranged. The support 54 includes an upwardly opening, cup-like member 55 for embracing the bottom portion of one of the ink tanks and which is provided with a notch 55 to receive the tank fitting 32 and thus locate the tank in the cup-like member. The member 55 is supported on a base 57 that includes a rod 53 which is vertically slidable in a pair of spaced arms 59 and 6t? forming parts of a bracket 61 that is rigidly secured to the frame of the press unit it A guide pin 62 is secured to the base 57 for sliding movement within an aperture 63 formed in the bracket arm 59 so as to prevent the base 57 from rotating on its supporting bracket.

For biasing the base 57 and thus the member 55 upwardly, a compressed helical spring so is sandwiched between the lower bracket arm so and a collar 65 secured by a pin 457 to the rod 58. Upward movement of the member 55 is limited by engagement between the collar 66 and the support arm 59, and downward movement of the member, against the urging of the spring 65, is limited by engagement of the base 57 with the upper surface of the support arm 59.

The member 55 is pivoted on the base 5'7 by a pin '75 so that the support can be tilted forwardly from the cabinet recess 2c in which it is mounted. The pin 7d passes through both the base 57 and a pair of lugs 71 which are secured to the underside of the member 55. It llS important to note that the horizontal axis defined by the pin 7 t is positioned forward, that is in the direction of tilting movement, of the center of the cup-like member 55. Thus, the weight of the member 55 and the ink tank which it holds tends to retain the member in its upstanding, illustrated position.

To establish alternate positions for the tiltable member 55, pair of pins 75 and 76 are rigidly secured to the base 57 for cooperation, respectively, with a pair of blocks 77 and 78 secured to the underside of the member 55. With the block 77 in abutment with the pin '75, the member 55 is disposed in upstanding, operating position. A pair of spring arms 81 and 82, secured to the block 77, embrace the pin 75 and releasably snap-lock the member 55 in this position. By tilting the member 55 about the pin 7%, the block 78 is brought into abutment with the pin 76' to establish the tilted or loading position of the member 55 (see also FIG. 1). A pair of spring arms 83 and 84 embrace the pin 7s and releasably snap-lock the member 55 in its tilted position.

When an ink tank is placed in the member 55, it will be appreciated that the weight of the tank and its contents will bias the support downwardly against the force of the spring 65. As the ink in the tank is used, the weight lessens and the spring 65 returns the member 55 toward its elevated position. For indicating the vertical position of the support and thus the amount of ink in a tank mounted on the support, a Bowden wire 96 is anchored at 91 to the bracket arm so and has one movable end secured to a finger 92 forming a part of the collar 6o. The opposite movable end of the Bowden Wire is attached to a simple dial indicator 93 which is appropriately calibrated to indictate the amount of ink contained in the supported tank for each vertical position of the collar 65. Each of the other supports 51, 52, and 53 are provided with similarly arranged Bowden wires 9 leading to indicators 93 so that the operator of the press unit can tell at a glance how much ink is avilable in any one of the tanks 27-49.

In operation, the supports 5l-54 hold the tanks 273t) erect within the cabinet recesses 25, 26. Desirably, sliding doors 95 and 96 are positioned to he slid across and close the cabinet recesses. The indicator dials 93 provide a continuous reading of the amount of ink contained in each one of the tanks. When it is desired to remove or replace one of the tanks, the tank is pulled forwardly from the recess until its support is snap-locked in tilted positon, as is the support 51 illustrated in FIG. 1. The air bleeder valve 4-3 can then be easily manipulated and the line 33 and conduits '31 quickly disconnected so that the tank may be lifted from the support and replaced. With the new tank properly positioned and coupled to the conduits 31 and ti e line 33, the tank and support are swung back into the cabinet recess and operation of the press may be continued.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the manner in which the amount of ink in a particular tank is indicated is a particularly economical and efficient one. It has already been observed above that the ink system illustrated and described makes the provision of colored ink in a press unit a convenient, simple, and unusually clean task.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a printing press having a plurality of ink fountains, an ink supply system comprising, in combination, means defining a cabinet region in said press, a support for a portable tank mounted in said cabinet region, a portable ink tank removably seated on said support, a flexible conduit releasably coupling the lower portion of said tank to one of said fountains, a source of gas under pressure, flexible means releasably coupling said source to the upper portion of said tank, and a valve for controlling the flow of ink from said tank to said one fountain.

2. In a printing press having a plurality of ink fountains, an ink supply system comprising, in combination, means defining a cabinet region in said press, a support for a portable tank mounted in said cabinet region, a portable ink tank removably seated on said support, a flexible conduit coupling the lower portion of said tank to one of said fountains, said conduit being joined to said tank and said one fountain through quick-disconnect couplings permitting ready removal of said conduit, a source of gas under pressure, a flexible line coupling said source through a quick-disconnect coupling to the upper portion of said tank, and a float valve in said fountain for controlling the fiow of ink from said tank to said one fountain.

3. In a printing press having a plurality of ink fountains, an ink supply system comprising, in combination, means defining a cabinet region in said press, a tank support mounted in said cabinet region, said support being pivoted in said recess about a horizontal axis spaced forwardly of the center of said support so that the support can tilt forwardly from said recess, means for limiting said tilting movement and releasably holding said support in tilted position, an ink tank removably seated in erect position on said support, a conduit coupling the lower portion of said tank to one of said fountains, a source of gas under pressure, means coupling said source to the upper portion of said tank, and a valve for controlling the flow of ink from said tank to said one fountain.

4. In a printing press having a plurality of ink fountains, an ink supply system comprising, in combination, means defining a cabinet region in said press, a tank support mounted in said cabinet region, a vertically movable base underlying said support, said support being pivoted on said base about a horizontal axis spaced forwardly of the center of said support so that the support can tilt forwardly, an ink tank removably seated in erect position on said support, a conduit coupling the lower portion of said tank to one of said fountains, a source of gas under pressure, means coupling said source to the upper portion of said tank, means biasing said base upwardly, and means for indicating the vertical position of said base so as to display the weight of said tank and its contents as the ink is driven from said tank to said one fountain by the gas under pressure.

5. In a printing press having a plurality of ink fountains, an ink supply system comprising, in combination, means defining a cabinet region in said press, an upwardly biased, vertically movable support mounted in said cabinet region, said support being tiltably mounted so as to facilitate seating of a tank on said support, an ink tank removably seated on said support with the weight of the tank and the ink contained thereby urging said support downwardly against said bias, a conduit releasably coupling the lower portion of said tank to one of said fountains, a valve for controlling the flow of ink from said tank to said one fountain, a source of gas under pressure, a conduit releasably coupling said source to the upper portion of said tank, and means for indicating the vertical position of said support so as to display the loss of Weight on said support as the ink is used and thus indicate the amount of ink available in the tank for said one fountain.

6. In a printing press having a plurality of ink fountains, an ink supply system comprising, in combination, means defining a cabinet region in said press, an upwardly biased, vertically movable support mounted in said cabinet region, an ink tank removably seated on said support with the weight of the tank and the ink contained thereby urging said support downwardly against said bias, a float valve mounted in one of said fountains so that the valve closes only when the fountain contains an operating supply of ink, a conduit releasably coupling the lower portion of said tank to said valve, a source of gas under pressure, a conduit releasably coupling said source to the upper portion of said tank, and means for indieating the vertical position of said support so as to display the loss of weight on said support as the ink is used and thus indicate the amount of ink available in the tank for said one fountain.

7. In a printing press, a tank support comprising, in combination, a cup-like, upwardly facing support for receiving a tank, said support being pivoted on a base about a horizontal axis spaced forwardly of the center of said support so that the support can tilt forwardly, and means on said base for both limiting said tilting movement and snap-locking said support in tilted position to permit a tank to be easily placed in, or removed from, said support.

8. In a printing press having a housing, an ink tank support comprising, in combination, an upwardly facing support in said housing for receiving a tank, a vertically movable base underlying said support, said support being pivoted on said base about a horizontal axis spaced forwardly of the center of said support so that the support can tilt forwardly, means on said base for both limiting said tilting movement and snap-locking said support in tilted position to permit a tank to be easily placed in, or removed from, said support, means biasing said base upwardly, and means on the exterior of said housing for indicating the vertical position of said base so as to display the weight of a tank and its contents mounted on said support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 637,577 Hett Nov. 21, 1899 1,102,972 Woodworth July 7, 1914 2,008,544 Jordhoy June 4, 1935 2,732,164 Legrow et al. Jan. 24, 1956 2,890,652 Jauch et a1. June 16, 1959 2,944,809 Heil July 12, 1960 3,065,886 Smalley Nov. 27, 1962 

1. IN A PRINTING PRESS HAVING A PLURALITY OF INK FOUNTAINS, AN INK SUPPLY SYSTEM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, MEANS DEFINING A CABINET REGION IN SAID PRESS, A SUPPORT FOR A PORTABLE TANK MOUNTED IN SAID CABINET REGION, A PORTABLE INK TANK REMOVABLY SEATED ON SAID SUPPORT, A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT RELEASABLY COUPLING THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TANK TO ONE OF SAID FOUNTAINS, A SOURCE OF GAS UNDER PRESSURE, FLEXIBLE MEANS RELEASABLY COUPLING SAID SOURCE TO THE UPPER 